Macross Frontier  The Song of Redemption
by Chris Core
Summary: 6 months have passed since the Vajra Warvand the Frontier Fleet has settled on the Vajra homeworld. Even with the Galaxy fleet defeated, how deep does the conspiracy REALLY go?  To what end will those behind it go, and just how long ago did it start?
1. Chapter 04  If These Days Could Last

Macross Frontier

The Song of Redemption

**Chapter IV**

_**If These Days Could Last Eternal**_

**F**riday, the 22nd of January in 2049 was like any other weekday near the New Elmendorf Space Air Force Base, outside of Macross City in Alaska... Sub-Arctic temperatures that seemed to hover just barely above freezing, while a typical winter storm engulfed the region in a dreary overcast with moderate showers of freezing rain and brisk wind gusts. The surface was widely covered with matted snow, while ice and frost clung to the trees and buildings like the hopes and dreams of a visionary. Still, even with the bleak and frigid weather conditions, the gray skies above, and the continuous frozen rainfall, families in the _Falcon's Nest_ Military Family Housing Community maintained rather comfortable living arrangements. The quiet military-only neighbourhood situated off base seemed to hold an almost postcard picture value to it, with snow and ice sickles on the roofs of the houses, light smoke steadily rising from the fireplace chimney flukes, the well-maintained driveways and sidewalks, and the periodic appearance of children's toys in some of the yards.

The Kaso home was like most other properties in the community- a simplistic two-story, single family house, situated on a small yet comfortable lot that seemed to radiate the presence of a young family. Steam and smoke spiralled to the heavens from the chimney fluke of the house, a warm fire burning in the fireplace, aiding in radiating heat throughout the contemporary interior that was decorated with a mixture of family portraits, photos of aircraft, college and military certificates and awards, and holiday decorative arrangements. The home was nothing grand, yet at the same time, it was nothing shy of living within the young family's means in a rather cosy manner. Periodically, a child's play things could be seen throughout the house, yet nothing too disorderly- just enough for the house to maintain an air about it that screamed that a youthful little girl was growing up in this home, and that she was constantly keeping her parents on their toes to keep up with her and her carefree, playful nature.

_Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock..._ An elegant hand carved wooden grandfather clock in the living room, a wedding gift from Sage's mother, softly accounted for the time until it's bells tolled, signifying the start of a new hour. It was now 7-o'clock in the morning. The pleasant scent of cinnamon filled the house, while the soft clanging of pots and pans, only slightly overpowered by a woman's soft humming could be heard originating from the kitchen. Kurisu finally descended down the stairs from the master bathroom, fresh from a morning shower, clad in his light gray flight suit, the front only zipped up halfway, allowing his dog tags to rattle passively with his movements as he made his way to the kitchen. And as usual, a loud giggle sounded out, followed by the warming and heartfelt words, _"Good morning, daddy!"_ that came from Jade's mouth as she left her mother's side and rushed to hug Kurisu tightly.

Kurisu wasted not a single moment in kneeling down to return the hug of the little girl who was clad in her favourite pink pyjamas that had a caricature of Lynn Minmei on the front, kissing her on the forehead and smiling, _"Well good morning to you, too, Princess!" _he replied warmly before rising and approaching Sage, who was wearing one of her husband's black Weapon's Instructor Course graduate t-shirts and a pair of pink sweat pants. Arms slowly wrapped around Sage's waist while he leaned his head in to kiss Sage softly on the neck.

_"...and good morning to you as well, babe... that smells delicious..." _he said with a grin, his hands running along her stomach slowly.

_"Well I figured that since you have to fly all day and won't be home till late, that I'd make you a quality breakfast so that you won't have to suffer the entire day without a good meal," _Sage grinned.

_"Well thank you, babe... I honestly thought that you'd be sleeping in this morning. You know, after last night and all..." _Kurisu replied with a mischievous grin on his face as he released his wife and turned away, but not before a soft popping sound cried out as his palm smacked her rear.

_"...Kurisu...!" _yelled Sage as her porcelain cheeks were soon flushed a pink tone, caught off guard while her eyes glanced to Jade, _"...not in front of J-A-D-E..."_

_"Yeah, mister! You better be a good boy in front of me...!" _Jade chimed in, puffing her cheeks up and making a childish face towards her father.

Kurisu couldn't help but shake his head while glancing towards Jade, caught off guard by the child chastising him, all while Sage was unable to hold back her own stifled laughter. In no time at all, breakfast was ready and the young family was seated in the dining room, Kurisu and Sage sitting across from one-another, while Jade sat between them on a booster seat so that she could reach the table- homemade French toast, sausage, eggs, orange juice, and coffee spread out before them. The television was turned on and set for the news, the anchorwoman talking about the growing threats of the Vindirance terrorist group momentarily before it shifted to the daily weather for the region.

_"...bore-ring...!" _Jade mocked at the news, "_...mommy, put on the Dancing Bear cartoon!"_

_" You can watch your cartoons after you get home from school and show me that you finished all of your homework, but right now, let your father watch the news," _replied Sage, which was met with a tongue sticking out at her from her daughter. _"What time do you think that you will get off of work tonight?"_

_"I probably won't be back home until around midnight. I have to fly some pattern work in a few hours to log some pilot pro time, and then I'm flying lead in a TAC formation tonight to get ready for another exercise. You don't have to wait up for me, tonight," _responded Kurisu in between eating taking bites of his breakfast.

_"...but what if I want to be awake when you get home...?" _Sage smiled.

_"Don't worry, kitten... I'll wake you up..." _Kurisu said with a Cheshire grin on his face, prompting another light blush of embarrassment to Sage's visage.

While Sage had been dedicated to her project at the university, her free time had been grossly limited, and long days of gruelling research led to physical and mental exhaustion. Now that she wad refocusing herself to being a mother and a house wife, she seemed to have all the free time in the world to spend with her family without finding herself being drained, and Kurisu had been taking advantage of this to the maximum extent possible. Whether her husband was secretly trying for another child, or simply enjoying the carnal pleasure, Sage didn't honestly complain.

Casual small talk ensued throughout breakfast, all while Jade's big blue eyes darted back and forth between her mother and father, her curiosity causing her to interrupt constantly with the innocent remarks of a child, naturally stirring the occasional chuckle from her parents. And as had become the norm in the Kaso household, Sage prepared the meals while Kurisu cleaned the mess and washed the dishes, not a word having to be said to prompt the routine after breakfast was finished, all the while Jade immediately scurried upstairs to her room to get ready for school, eager to learn, play, and further forge friendships with her classmates.

Kurisu sipped his coffee after all was said and done as he relished in the last few minutes of freedom before he had to go to work, smiling at Sage, which caused her to quietly remove the coffee cup from his hand and place it on the kitchen counter, her thin arms wrapping around his torso and her right hand trailing up to run her fingertips through the back of his hair,

_"...it never ceases to amaze me how wrong my mother was about you, Kurisu. Why are you so good to me?" _Sage asked with a soft voice while her left hand slowly ran up along Kurisu's right arm.

_"Well of course your mother was wrong... Hell, she bet money with her friends that we'd be bitterly divorced less than a year after we got married..." _Kurisu joked quietly,_ "...but it's because I love you, Sage. I can honestly say that I love you just ad much, if not more, than I loved you the day we got married. You and Jade are my entire world. If I ever lost you, I don't know what I would do."_

_"Don't worry. Jade and I aren't going anywhere. We will be with you, always,"_ Sage couldn't help but smile as she moved her left hand from Kurisu's arm up to his face as she caressed his cheek gently, leaning in at that very moment to kiss her beloved husband- a kiss that was met with equal tenderness and affection.

Kurisu wrapped his arms around Sage tightly as they kissed for what, in their minds, seemed to be an eternity. The love they shared for one-another was as clear as day- there was Kurisu, Sage, and Jade, and nothing else in the world mattered to them. There was no faux emotion, no hidden agenda, simply pure, uninhibited love for one-another, along with pride for the beautiful and intelligent child that they had brought into the world six years prior. Broken families were so common, whether shortly after the union, or the result of the seven-year itch; however, it was all but written into stone that this young family would be one of those rare cases. Where the couple involved held such strong and positive feelings for one-another, such adoration and admiration with the perfect chemistry and compatibility... Like the heavens aligned to bring these two together, and blessed them with an intelligent, cheerful daughter who took the very best from both of them, and surely would grow up to accomplish great things in her life.

_"Good... I don't know how I would ever go through this life without the two of you. You know you two are in my mind at all times,"_ said Kurisu after he finally broke their kiss, his gray-blue eyes looking longingly into her sky-blue eyes.

_"Hurry home tonight... I hate laying in the bed without you,"_ Sage whispered softly as she tilted her head forward, resting her head on his right shoulder for a moment while her arms slowly curled beneath his arms, clinging to him.

It was after this long moment of deep emotion and transparent honesty to one another that Sage kissed Kurisu on the neck lightly before turning her head to look over her shoulder, calling out for their daughter, _"Jade, Come say goodbye to your father, he has to go to work!" _to which Jade scurried down the stairs frantically, her white with blue trim schoolgirl uniform on and her hair braided, clearly trying to make her hair look like her mother's, _"Are you going to fly in the sky again...?"_ inquired Jade as her large blue eyes looked to her father with awe and admiration, all while she forced herself in between both Kurisu and Sage, demanding attention from then both.

Both Kurisu and Sage put their arms around their precious, innocent angel. Kurisu couldn't hold back a smile from her question, while he nodded slowly, _"That's right, Princess. I'm going to go fly through the clouds today,"_ he responded, _"and you, young lady, are going to go to school, learn, and better behave for your mother today." _Naturally, Sage finally managed to pry Jade off of her father, allowing Kurisu to kneel down and kiss Jade on the forehead, followed immediately by rising up once more to give his beloved wife a light goodbye kiss on the lips. And with this warm exchange between father, mother, and daughter, Kurisu walked outside, grabbing his black motorcycle helmet from its wall hanger next to the front door as he passed by. Moments later, the high-pitched whine of his motorcycle could be heard as he fired the bike up and carefully backed himself out of their driveway. Like nearly every morning, Sage and Jade stood by the front door and waved to Kurisu as he then sped off swiftly, egressing out of the military family housing community on his way back to the base to start his work day.

Once Kurisu had departed for work, Sage made her way upstairs to their bedroom, where she changed out of the t-shirt and sweatpants into her casual attire for the day... A pair of light blue jeans worn over a pair of black leather women's boots, and a simple, white dress top. Her favourite hair clips, small gold and emerald fairies, were inserted into her hair, and a warm, faux fur coat was slipped on for warmth. By the time Sage had finished getting dressed and gathering her things together, putting them into her purse, Jade was already waiting by the garage door, wearing her small backpack over her shoulders that was designed to look like the shape of an old VF-1J _Valkyrie_ with the words _'Kyun KYUN!_ written across it.

Soon, the mother and daughter dynamic duo were seated in the family's '48 Jeep _Discovery_ Sports utility vehicle, the garage door slowly opening behind it as Sage started the vehicle with a barely audible hum. Moments later, Sage backed out of the garage and driveway, only to place the vehicle in drive as she started off away from the house, the garage door closing behind them. And as they made their way through the housing community, Jade's hands were planted to the window, staring out at the occasional half-melted snowmen in some of the yards,

_"Mommy, if it snows today, can we go outside and make snow men before daddy gets home?"_

_"Of course, sweetie. I'm sure your father would be happy to see them in the front yard if we make them," _Sage replied, smiling softly as she drove.

_"We're gonna have the best snowman ever!"_ Jade exclaimed, giggling and humming to herself.

The 15-minute commute from their housing community to the Macross City Girl's Academy, the private school that Jade attended, seemed to pass all too quickly. In no time at all, Sage had pulled up to the student pick-up and drop-off area, where she leaned over to give Jade a hug and a kiss on her cheek, _"Have a good day at school, sweetie. Mommy will see you in a few hours and we can talk more about that snowman, alright?"_ Sage said tenderly, prompting a smile and nod from her daughter. And with that, Jade left the passenger seat if the vehicle and waved briefly before turning around and taking off running for the main door of the school, arms outstretched while she ran, as if she were pretending to be an airplane.

Watching as Jade vanished safely into the school building, Sage glanced to the rear-view mirror of her vehicle, giving herself a smile, _"...and now to figure out what to do with the day..."_ Free time like she would have this very day was a luxury that she had not fully adjusted to yet, but certainly was a welcome change of pace from the monotony of gruelling research at the University that had consumed so much of her life over that past few years. Driving once more, she decided to head into the city without any set plans; rather, she decided to simply play it by ear for once, and to see where fate took her throughout the day.

Entering the downtown region of Macross City, the plethora of buildings and architectural wonders were only overshadowed by the SDF-1 Macross, which sat dormant in the centre of Crater Lake, as it had for over 45 years now, in the heart of Macross City. Automobiles crowded the roads and people crowded the sidewalks, while conversations and cultural noises bombarded the ears of all. Even with the poor weather conditions, there was no hint at the hustle and bustle of the capital city losing its momentum. Street vendors could be seen on every corner, selling everything from hotdogs, peanuts, and refreshments to souvenirs, novelties, and literature. Posters could be seen on building walls, most of which advertised various musicians and idol singers, a large portion of which wet promoting the Macross-11 Fleet's _English Fire! _group.

Finding parking in downtown Macross City was surely no simple task, yet after much searching, Sage finally located an open parking garage, where she parked and started on foot for her daily adventure. It was no coincidence that her parking choice was conveniently situated close to one of the major retail shopping centres of the city, as shopping seemed to be an excellent means of passing the day, or at least it was in her mind. And as she entered the shopping centre, she was greeted by the voice of a vendor robot that rolled around from patron to patron, offering cold juice boxes, albeit with the chilled weather, business could have been better. Sage found herself in a retail wonderland that offered a little something for everyone- Human and Zentraedi alike, with well over one-hundred separate stores, many of the larger stores designed to accommodate the size of its Zentraedi customers, while at the middle of the shopping centre's food court, one advertisement stood out from the rest- the Unity Government was seeking volunteer colonists for the Macross-13 long range colonization, fleet which was less than two years from being completed and launched from Earth, rather than from Eden, as most of the other colonization fleets had departed from.

Store hopping, Sage soon accumulated a small handful of bags, mostly clothes, albeit she did come across a small statuette of a VF-19A _Excalibur_ that she felt Kurisu would enjoy, so she picked it up as well to give to Kurisu as a surprise gift. Bags in hand, Sage made her way out of the shopping centre, where she returned to her vehicle just long enough to store her booty safely, only to head back out of the parking garage towards a small café that she was familiar with nearby that sat on top of one of the many downtown skyscrapers, offering a wide selection of delicatessen sandwiches and gourmet soups, as well as an excellent view of the city. As Sage rounded a corner towards her destination, she stopped in her tracks, witnessing several police officers attempting to detain a micronized Zentran.

_"IS THAT ALL YOU PIGS HAVE GOT?"_ the young Zentran screamed while the police tried to hold him down, his violent thrashing and Zentran strength causing the police to have serious issues with trying to restrain him. Sage couldn't help but freeze in her tracks as she watched in silence as the Zentran finally broke free of the police officers' grasp, his fist slamming into one of the officer's faces, causing blood to fly from the nose and mouth of the police officer, the other officers immediately readying their batons and stun guns, the lead officer yelling, _"GET DOWN NOW OR WE WILL NOT HESITATE TO TAKE YOU DOWN BY FORCE!"_ By now, a crowd was gathering around Sage to watch the spectacle, the Zentran looking around for a moment at the increasing numbers, which caused him to grin, _"Yeah? WHY DON'T YOU TRY SINGING TO ME!" _With those words, the Zentran rushed at the police officers in a mad rage, screaming at the top of his lungs, _"LONG LIVE THE BLACK RAINBOW!" _This suicidal rush was viewed by the police as not only non-compliance with their demand, but also as open aggression, and the Zentran was almost immediately forced to the ground by the savage barrage of stun guns and batons while the police assaulted him into submission, blood flying as the attack continued long after the Zentran was forced to the ground, one of the police officers shoving the crowd back, including Sage, demanding that the crowd immediately disperse or be arrested for loitering. Was this a hint at the things to come?

With wide eyes and her agape mouth hidden only by her hand covering it in disbelief, Sage slowly continued on her way, glancing back over her shoulder just in time to see the police officers picking the beaten and bloodied Zentran up, dragging him off towards one of their vehicles. Entering the building that her destination resided within, she tried to shake the image from her mind of the Zentran being beaten well-beyond that which was remotely necessary to pacify him. Taking the elevator up to the top floor of the skyscraper, Sage stepped out into the large café, its domed glass roof and walls offering a perfect view of the city. Sitting down at a table near the wall that faced the SDF-1 Macross, she proceeded to order her meal, the newspaper displayed directly on the touch sensitive table, glancing at the previous day's local happenings as she waited. Glancing up from the news once her food arrived, she could see white lines slowly creeping across the sky from fighters patrolling the airspace, which filled her with a sense of pride and security- her husband was up there, keeping her and their daughter safe.

Taking her time eating and enjoying her lunch, irony struck once again. The café always had soft music playing throughout its dining area, and one of Sage's favourites came on... a classic, old Lynn Minmei song, _"My Boyfriend is a Pilot," _which seemed to be perfectly timed as her phone rang, a characteur of Kurisu's face appearing on the holographic screen of her phone, prompting her to answer. Sage didn't even give Kurisu the opportunity to speak,

_"Kyun, kyun... Kyun, kyun... My husband is a pilot,"_ she sang in a soft tone, yet clearly using her own words instead of the song's traditional lyrics.

_"Well hello to you too, babe,"_ Kurisu chuckled over the phone, _"How's your day going so far?"_

Sage continued to hum the song over the phone to him for a moment, _"I'm just relaxing and enjoying lunch at the café we ate at on our first date,"_ she giggled lightly, _"I'll be heading to pick Jade up from school in a bit, how's your day been going, dear?"_

_"I can't complain- just finished debriefing after my first sortie today and heading to grab a quick bite for lunch at the club on base before I get back up in the air," _Kurisu replied, raising his voice to speak up over the sound of another formation of aircraft taking off near him. _"I figured I'd give you a call to see what you're up to."_

_"Well, I hope you hurry home tonight after you get finished. I picked you up a present, and I think you'll like it," _Sage said warmly,_ "I miss you."_

_"I miss you too, kitten," _responded Kurisu, the sound of his motorcycle starting up clearly audible over the phone,_ "I've gotta go, babe. I only have an hour to get across base, get some food, get back and be in the briefing room. I love you, Sage."_

_"I love you too, Kurisu. I'll see you tonight,"_ concluded Sage as she hung her phone up and returned it to her purse.

She couldn't flush the smile from her face. Everything seemed to finally be going right in her life. She truly felt that leaving the project at the University had, without the shadow of a doubt, been the best decision she could have made- not just due to her growing concerns and moral conflict with the project, but the fact that she was now free to enjoy her life. With those warm and just thoughts, she paid her bill and left the café.

The day was halfway over, and Sage decided to occupy the remainder of her free time in the city with a visit to the Morikawa Memorial Art Gallery- widely considered to be the most prestigious art gallery on Earth, located along the north-eastern edge of Crater Lake and the SDF-1 Macross, its location having been chosen specifically for the purpose of offering visitors the opportunity to watch the sun illuminate the SDF-1 Macross during sunrise, and to set behind the SDF-1 Macross during the sunset through the glass walls of the large gallery which had been partially modelled after the Louvre which had been in the city of Paris until the First Space War. Elaborate sculptures lined the front of the Gallery, its grounds kept with perfectly-trimmed and sculpted shrubs, while on an artificial hill in front of the building, in the middle of the lawn, flowers grew in an arrangement that formed the insignias of the Unity Government and the Zentraedi, which served as a tribute to the cooperation and progress between humanity and Zentraedi.

Stepping into the gallery, Sage decided to peruse the current featured exhibit. She couldn't help but feel a sense of irony flush over her as she entered the exhibit, which was themed around the soul. Paintings, mostly of an abstract nature, depicted auras and spirits in the every-day world, a concept that made for some rather interesting and strangely serene works of art, but were simply a novel idea to most. Browsing the various paintings and sculptures featured in the exhibit, Sage couldn't resist the urge to bite her lower lip gently,_ "I am so grateful that I left the Project," _she whispered to herself,_ "God, please forgive me for even remotely completing that virus." _There was no denying it_- _as Sage brought her attention from display to the next; there was this almost overwhelming sensation of guilt and regret.

During Sage's work on the Project ARCHANGEL at the Turner University's Genetic Research Department, she had virtually dedicated herself to her research. She had made so much progress, made so many discoveries- both official and personal. And it was during these discoveries in her research that she had a change of heart. Even as a mother, her belief mindset had always been hard-line scientific; if it was not factual and verifiable, then it was rubbish and fallacy. The very notion of something existing beyond the physical plain and outside the realm of contemporary science was absolutely absurd. But that was the old Sage. Through her research, she began having a change of heart. There were just too many indicators to simply write it off as coincidence. She wasn't certain what exactly she believed in anymore, but she was certain inside her mind that there was definitely something behind the theological and metaphysical beliefs that so many religious followers subscribed to. Sage was always a fairly dedicated woman. She worked hard to achieve her goals and to get to where she was in life. She was so positive about the project, so proud and focused. It was to be her mark on history, and when she set out to achieve something, she would never back down until she had succeeded. After reaching her conclusions with Project ARCHANGEL, she did that which she had never done and had once sworn to herself that she would never do... Sage walked away. She had abandoned the project, destroyed all traces of her work, and kept only a single copy of her research notes and data for personal reasons. She received an odd sense of serenity and peace by this action. Perhaps it was her subconscious shedding the regret and reinforcing her actions, or perhaps there truly was something else reaffirming her decision. One thing was for certain, she felt that she had played God, and she had to right this wrong, whether actual or self-imposed.

So here Sage found herself, starring at the creative artistic works of various painters and sculptors, all themed around the controversially intangible... The prospect of life, the spirit, the soul, the afterlife, the belief in a great beyond, a higher power. While many patrons of the gallery often discarded the deeper meaning behind each work of art, Sage found herself analyzing the individual works of the exhibit, associating virtually every display with herself and her newly-established belief. It was calming for her- an awkward sensation of peace seemed to overtake her as she browsed the exhibit, for she knew deep down, in her mind that her decision to leave the project... To withdraw herself and all her research was the right choice. And in the wake of her self-dismissal, it seemed as if she was being rewarded for her decision in the form of being able to finally enjoy herself as a wife and a mother; to be free to savour the blessings of her family. Hours seemed to pass like minutes, and before long it was time for Sage to leave the gallery, and to start on her way to pick Jade up from school. Smiling to herself at just how relaxing and pleasant the day had gone so far, she departed and returned to her vehicle.

Sage seemed to escape the confines of downtown Macross City just in the nick of time as rush hour commenced; fortunate, considering the city was bustling at all hours of the day, and during rush hour it made commuting virtually impossible. Arriving back at the academy, her timing seemed impeccable as Jade rushed outside towards her mother's vehicle, skipping the entire way with he left hand on the shoulder strap of her Valkyrie backpack and her right hand carrying a small plastic cup that contained the genesis of a new life- the sprouting stalk of a simple plant. Reaching the vehicle, Jade opened the door and climbed in, holding the plant up as she faced her mother, her face beaming with joy and amusement,

_"Mommy! Mommy! Look what I got you and daddy!"_ Jade excitedly announced.

_"Is that...? It is! You grew a plant, didn't you?"_ Sage replied with a soft smile, a feeling of pride swelling inside her... Who needed to play God and splice genetic sequences when she could get almost the same level of satisfaction out of watching her daughter bring home a plant she had obviously grown.

_"M-hmm!"_ Jade cooed proudly, her grin spanning from ear to ear, _"Our teacher gave us cups with some beans and dirt last week, and we had to put the dirt in the cup, and stick the beans in the dirt, and add some water and some fer-la-sizer and some water, and then we put it in the window of our classroom and now we have a plant!"_

Attempting to hold back he own giggle at her daughter's attempt to pronounce fertilizer, she started to drive while nodding, _"That's wonderful sweetie! We can show your father tomorrow morning, but remember, that plant is alive, so now you have a big responsibility- you'll have to take care of it, for it to grow into a great big plant," _she grinned, seeing this as the perfect opportunity to instil a life lesson on Jade, offering her responsibility.

The drive back to their home was uneventful. Jade told her mother all about her day in class- about the things she had learned, about the conversations she had and the friends she had made. Sage listened like a defense attorney, taking in every word her child said. This was happiness and nothing else in the world seemed to matter. Pulling back into the driveway of their home, Jade barely waited for their vehicle to stop before she jumped out and rushed inside through the garage, causing Sage to blink widely- had her teachers given her candy all day to make Jade this hyper? At least she knew that Jade would likely crash hard within a few hours, which would open up the remainder the evening for Sage to relax; however, that time would not happen just yet. Before Sage could even start unloading her vehicle, Jade was already standing in the garage, yelling to her mother _"C'mon, mommy! Let's build our snowman before it starts getting dark! C'mon! C'mon!"_ Before Sage could even respond, Jade skittered out onto the front lawn, pink mittens and a matching head-warmer that had cat ears pretending from the top of it already on, determination in her eyes.

Sage decided to hold off on organizing the contents if her shopping bags, instead choosing to put them on the dinning room table for the time being, immediately rushing back outside after grabbing her white fleece scarf and a pair of insulated tan leather gloves. By the time she made it to the front yard, scarf wrapped around her neck and gloves donned, Jade was already standing next to a sizable pile of packed snow. Sage immediately joined her daughter in the task of gathering snow from all across the front yard of their home, which didn't take particularly long due to the amount of snow still present as the result from a snow storm only a few days prior. It didn't matte that the skies were gray, the air was cold, and the freezing rain was lightly sprinkling- all Sage could see was her daughter, the snow and herself... All Sage could hear were their giggles and laughing. She felt as if she had been transported back in time, to a period of her life where she too had that childish innocence, living vicariously through her daughter as the snow was carefully packed down.

As time passed, the pile of snow grew in size and began to slowly take a form. Handful by handful, a snowman was being born, albeit at an erratic pace as the occasional chunk of frozen mass was removed from the artistic masterpiece. It was inevitable that the mother and daughter would soon be locked into gruelling battle with one-another after Jade threw a snowball at her mother. The recognizable sound of snow splattering might as well have been replaced with the sound of a rifle firing off, aimed at a royal heir. The Kaso Snowball Civil War began at 5:53PM on the 22nd of January, and the armistice between Queen Sage and Princess Jade was not reached until 6:41PM of the same day. The collateral damage was inconceivable- the splattered snow all over the front face if their house, their mailbox, and even on a few of the neighbour's vehicles that were parked on the street. As part of the ceasefire agreement, the remaining UXSO's (Unexploded Snowball Ordinance) were gathered together and incorporated into the hand-crafted sculpture that commemorated the end of what could have arguably been 2049's most ravaging conflict. By the time the sun had set, the terms of the Treaty of Falcon's Nest, which had been verbally agreed upon, had been met up to the point of the completion of the snowman, and the snowman stood at the edge of the driveway, his right 'arm,' which was a bent branch, almost resembling a salute. All that remained for the treaty would be for Princess Jade to eat all of her dinner, to include her vegetables, per her mother's conditions, and for Queen Sage to present Princess Jade with an offering of fresh cookies and hot cocoa after dinner, as the final condition from her daughter.

Of course as the sun finished setting and darkness overtook the land, the mother-daughter duo retreated to the warmth of their house. It didn't take long for the two to unpack the shopping bags, Jade critiquing every single article of clothing, whether it is destined for her, her mother or her father, all the same- as if she were a fashion consultant. This naturally amused Sage immensely, all while she sorted and folded everything while singing softly to herself, her daughter attempting to sing along side her, albeit she kept repeating the only words to the song that she knew, "Zero-G Love," regardless if it was a chorus or verse. Once everything was separated and folded, the final item was removed and placed onto the dining room table- the statuette of the VF-19A _Excalibur_ that Sage had picked up for her husband as a gift- nothing special, just a simple token reminder to him that she was thinking about him,

_"Wha'ssat, mommy? Is that an airplane?" _Sage inquired as she ogled the statuette with bright, wide eyes.

_"That's right, sweetie," _Sage smiled_,_ putting her hand on Jade's left shoulder as she looked down at her little angel, _"That's what your father flies."_

Jade giggled to herself, _"But daddy can't fit into that! It's too small, even for my dolls. And daddy is bigger than my dolls are!"_ It was obvious; Jade did take the facetious nature from her parents.

_"You're silly, sweetie. You know what I mean," said as Sage gave her daughter a gentle pat on her head._

_"Noooo! You're silly, Billy!" _Jade giggled before returning her attention to the statuette,_ "Is that what daddy is flying right now? Up in the sky? Does he fly higher than the birds, mommy?"_

Another soft smile formed on Sage's visage while she knelt down next to her daughter, _"That's right, sweetie... your father flies one of these, but it's a lot bigger," _said as she moved her hand from Jade's shoulder and slipped her arm around the child, _"Your father flies a lot higher than the birds can. He's flying right now, and he's protecting us."_

Like expanding pools of liquid wonder, Jade's eyes widened as she hugged her mother tightly, _"I love you and daddy!"_

Soon afterwards, Sage found herself preparing dinner. Jade was so eager to help her mother, and while it often seemed as though her aid often caused an even greater mess than if she had simply remained a bystander, she was always welcome to get involved in the big K2C, as they both called it- the Kaso Kitchen Chaos. It only took half an hour this evening to recreate the destructive path of a tornado across the kitchen counters and floor... Near record time! Once all was said and done, three plates were sitting on the counter, each plate arranged with a fillet of lemon herb grilled salmon over a bed of white rice, a helping of steamed mixed vegetables and a freshly baked homemade cheddar roll, all while the scent of cookies baking in the oven permeated throughout the house. The first plate was covered up and placed in the microwave, which would be ready to reheat upon Kurisu's return home from work, while the other two plates were carried from the kitchen to the dining room- another victory for Team Kaso, dinner in the household was officially served!

As per their agreement, Jade proceeded to eat her dinner, to include her vegetables; however, agreement or not, this did not prevent Jade from making the occasional face at her mother when Sage wasn't looking, but it was to be expected- after all, she was a child. In between bites, she attempted to make small talk with her mother,

_"Mommy, does daddy mur-dar people?" _Jade was blunt and straight to the point, her innocence blinding her to the depth of her question.

Nearly choking on her food, Sage starred at Jade with wide eyes, _"Where did you come up with that idea?" _She wasn't even angry, but rather caught off guard by the question.

_"Today in class we were talking about what our parents do and said that my mommy is a sci-in-tiss, and that my daddy flies airplanes in the mili-tary, and then one of the other students said that his parents said that the mili-tary mur-dar people and bring bad things, but I said no way, not my daddy! And then the teacher made us all talk about something else..."_ Jade said in a low tone of voice, like that of a scorned child while she poked at her food slowly with her fork.

_"Sweetie... No, your father doesn't murder people. Only bad people do that, and your father is a good man. He helps to keep us safe... To protect us. He would never intentionally hurt anyone, so don't listen to what any of you classmates say about it, ok?"_ replied Sage in a borderline defensive manner. _ "Now finish your dinner and help mommy with cleaning the kitchen so we can have those cookies,"_ she smiled, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible.

_"Hmm... Ok, mommy..." _And with those words, the mother and daughter pair went about eating their meal until their plates were virtually barren voids.

With dinner now a memory, Jade assisted her mother in clearing off the table and cleaning up the kitchen. With the two working together, the kitchen was restored to pristine condition in no time, enabling Sage to focus on the chocolate chip cookies which were now ready to serve. Pulling the cookie pan from the oven and placing it on the stove, Sage then proceeded to brew two fresh cups of hot cocoa, the addition of miniature marshmallows an unwritten law that surely had to be obeyed. Jade was once again giddy with excitement, and before she knew it, her mother handed her a cup full of the steaming cocoa delight, as well as a small dish with two fresh-baked and still-chewy chocolate chip cookies. Sage then prepared herself her own cup, and kept two of the cookies for herself, putting the remaining eight cookies into a previously empty glass cookie jar. Cookies and hot cocoas in hand, Sage followed Jade to the living room, where they sat down together and proceeded to watch cartoons.

Take a 6-year old child, and add fresh-baked cookies and hot cocoa, and it did not take a genetic research scientist to predict that both the treat and the beverage would be gone in a matter of minutes. This was certainly no exception to that theory, which Sage found to be rather amusing. Within half an hour, Jade would be found lying on the couch, her head resting on Sage's lap, all while Sage would absently stroke Jade's hair gently.

_"Sleepy, sweetie?"_ Sage asked quietly while looking down at Jade.

_"...mhmm..."_ Jade seemed to mumble, not even opening her eyes in the least bit.

The anticipated crash had finally been brought to fruition, and it was time to put Jade in bed.

Carefully scooping Jade up into her arm and resting her head on her shoulder, Sage carried Jade from the living room upstairs to her bedroom, all while whispering to her daughter, _"You're starting to get too big for mommy to carry you like this." _Jade didn't respond, already drifting off in her mother's arms. Once up in Jade's bedroom, which was decorated in Miss Macross decor, quite a popular theme for young girls, Sage helped her half-asleep daughter get changed into her favourite pink pyjamas that featured a characteur of Lynn Minmei with the words 'My Boyfriend is a Pilot' written a crossed the front. Helping Jade into her bed and pulling the covers up over her, Sage then tucked her daughter in, took a seat on the edge of her bed, and leaned close to her ear, singing to her in a soft tone that was barely above a whisper... a song that she had come up with when Jade was just an infant, and she had sung for her nearly every night before putting her to bed.

[The song sung is to the tune of Adagio for Strings]

As Sage finished her soft-spoken sonata, she gave her daughter a gentle kiss to the forehead and whispered into her ear, "Goodnight Sweetie... Sweet dreams," and with those words, Sage rose to her feet and slipped out of the bedroom, turning the light off to leave Jade illuminated only by the soft glow of her nightlight and quietly closing the bedroom door in her wake.

At last, Sage was free to lounge around the house at her leisure. Making her way to the master bedroom, she retrieved her night clothes, and then made her way directly to the bathroom. Within moments, she shed her clothing down to the barest form and steam began to rise from the confines of the shower. Stepping into the shower, she sighed as the water began to run down her body, her muscles relaxing from the warmth. Slender hands ran through her hair slowly while she tilted her head back, eyes falling closed to bask in the sensation and relaxation of a hot shower after a long day- something she always enjoyed ending her days with to help her mind clear. Kurisu wouldn't be home for at least another four or five hours, so she felt that she need not rush. Gently scrubbing her body, she let her mind wander...

_Why did I get blessed with such a life? Such a beautiful and intelligent daughter? Such a caring and loyal husband? I can never regret my life. No matter what happens, I know I will always have my family. I can't possibly fathom anything that could ever tear us apart. I am sorry that I played God on that project. Please, if there is a higher being... Forgive me and continue to watch over my family and me..._

It truly is amazing how easily a person can lose track of time, and before Sage knew it, nearly half an hour had passed. Culminating her shower with some personal grooming, she finally stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel, casually drying off before she slipped into a pair of black sweatpants that had the insignia of Sharon Apple on the left pant leg in pink, and a white tank top that had 'UNSAF Wife' written across the front, also in pink.

Kurisu had his dinner waiting for him in the microwave, ready to be reheated without delay the moment he would get home from work. Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies now populated the cookie jar in the kitchen. A brand new statuette of a VF-19A _Excalibur_ sat on the dining room table. The remainder of her purchases from the day had been neatly put away. Sneaking passed Jade's bedroom, Sage made her way downstairs and back into the living room. With the flick of a switch, a low-pitched whistle emanated from the fireplace, followed shortly by a light clicking soft until the fireplace came back to life. Making her way to the kitchen, Sage then proceeded to pour herself a glass of red merlot wine, vintage 2042 and imported from the Corleone Vineyard on Eden. Liquid relaxation in hand, Sage returned to the living room and nested herself on the couch, the television activating and tuning to a program about Pre-Space War I history.

As time went on and wine subsided from view in the glass in Sage's hand, she glanced up at the time on the grandfather clock, which had the hands pointing to 9:30PM. The combination of the warm heat radiating from the fireplace, the warm sensation flushing through her face that was the result of the wine, the words spoken on the television in low volume and the continuous tick-tock of the grandfather clock all came together perfectly, causing her mind to drift off into a state of deep relaxation. She had no intentions of going to the bedroom. No, she insisted on napping on the couch so that she would hear her husband come through the front door, able to greet him properly and then retreat to the bedroom to sleep in the arms of her lover. Still, as Sage's eyes fell heavy and the inevitable grip of sleep began to take hold of her, she thought that she could hear another sound- the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance outside... A storm was approaching.


	2. Chapter 05  All Roses Must Die WIP

Macross Frontier

The Song of Redemption

**Chapter V**

_**All Roses Must Die**_

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock... the grandfather clock now indicated that it was 10:25PM. Kurisu was still flying his sortie and Sage knew not to expect him home for another two hours at the bare minimum. It mattered not for the young spouse; she would wait for him in the living room of their home, curled up on the couch, sleeping lightly. Having always been a light sleeper, she knew that the sound of Kurisu opening the front door would be more than enough to rouse her from her cat-like slumber, where she would then greet him with a hug and a kiss, warm his dinner up, initiate small talk, and accompany her man to bed, where she would surely fall back asleep in short order snuggled up against him. That was the plan, at least.

Sage's nap was interrupted not by the growing sound of distant thunder, but by a knock on the front door. Eyes snapping open as she sat up promptly and glanced to the clock. 10:26PM. This was too early for Kurisu to get home, and he would never knock on the door- it had to be a visitor, but at this hour...? Slender hands reached up to rub at her eyes as she slowly rose to her feet, calling out at the possible visitor, albeit keeping her voice low enough to negate waking Jade up, _"...Just a minute." _Still, this was peculiar- they had never had unexpected visitors at this hour. Perhaps it was simply a neighbour who was requiring assistance with something?

Another knock rapped against the door- so impatient! _"...I said just a minute!"_ Sage lifted her voice slightly louder before muttering beneath her breath, _"...you have got to be fucking kidding me at this hour..."_ Sage couldn't help but feel a slight bit of surprise towards herself. Since the birth of Jade, she had almost completely ceased using such language, but something about this unidentified visitor seemed to rattle a sense of unease within her. The uncomfortable tingle that seemed to pulsate down Sage's spine was only momentarily interrupted by a vibration hailing from her pocket as she received a text message. Pausing by the front door, she reached into her pocket and glanced at her mobile phone, which was shaped like a cat, only to see a forwarded chain message from one of her friends that was immediately written off in her mind as silly superstitious nonsense.

A third knock came, all while Sage was standing directly next to the door, which certainly began to irritate her to no end. Narrowing her eyes and fearing the noise would wake her daughter who slept upstairs, Sage returned her phone to her pocket and grabbed the door handle, rotating it all while she lost her composure and slipped into one of her tangents that she had often been known for due to her rather short temper,

"_Are you fucking deaf? Or are you fucking retarded? Or is it that you're crazy? Or maybe it's a combination of all three? Don't you know what time it is? If my dau-"_ Sage barked,

However, her words seemed to cut themselves off and she went silent the moment the front door was opened. Having expected to see a needy neighbour who wanted to borrow something, or who wished to gossip, she saw a different familiar face.

Standing before Sage was a slender man in his early-forties. Roughly 185 centimetres in height with a well-groomed beard, dyed-raven hair that was cut short and combed over, hazel eyes hidden beneath thick glasses; dressed in a pair of gray business slacks, a baby-blue dress shirt with a black tie, and of course, his white lab coat with an identification badge clipped to it that had the name 'DR. YURI ORLOV' printed on it... Sage's old director from when she was involved with the Project at Turner University. This did not seem right...Yuri had never visited Sage's home, so why would he visit it now after she had not only left the project, but at such an hour? To compound the situation, Yuri did not appear to be alone, either; standing behind him were three others, two men and one woman, all wearing black military-style uniforms that had the words 'TARSUS SECURITIES GROUP' printed across their hats, and all three appearing to be armed with pistols.

For some strange reason, the woman seemed to stand out the most from the other two. Soldiers? No, these were mercenaries. Eyes like ice almost felt like they were piercing Sage's soul from the woman, while her silver-blue hair cascaded down her back from beneath her hat. Her black uniform seemed as if it had been custom tailored to accentuate her form, while the nametag across her breast had 'POLYANSKY' printed on it. Strapped to her right thigh was a pistol, while oddly enough, hanging from the left side of her belt was what appeared to be a rapier... perhaps it was a family tradition to carry such an old weapon? By all appearances, she was clearly younger than Sage, in her early-twenties at the very most, yet the look in her eyes was that of an ice cold killer that had seen her fair share of combat. Another crash of thunder indicated that the storm was getting closer.

Sage could not deny the fact that her heart seemed to jump from her chest, racing as she stared in silence at the four whom had decided to pay her a visit at such a late hour. It was like a lance of anxiety had pierced her breast, but why? As farfetched as the idea was, she could not deny that she was experiencing that mental event that her mother had always called 'women's intuition.' Having spent the majority of her adult life as a scientist, belief in such superstitious or spiritual mechanisms were thought to be nothing more than primitive mumbo jumbo for which the blame was passed unto for that which was not clearly understood; however, much to her surprise as she approached her thirties, she found herself actually fancying the possibility that her mother was right. She no longer wrote off the intangible and metaphysical. Lord knew, if the ARCHANGEL Virus was capable of creating what she had begun to suspect, then she felt that her entire dismissal concepts such as the spirit, the soul, and even God were no longer justified and valid. Had she been wrong for mocking the project name?

Dr. Yuri Orlov was indeed an accomplished and brilliant researcher, but the fact of the matter was that he was a business man first and a scientist second, something that he would even openly admit. Silver-tongued and shrewd,

"_Sage, I didn't get the opportunity to see you off and wish you goodbye before you left the project. Is this a bad time...?" _Yuri flashed his signature half-grin and half-smile.

"_...Is this a bad time? Are you serious...?" _replied Sage with dumbfounded look on her face, resisting the urge with all her reserves to simply give in to her anger and initiate a screaming match. Of COURSE this was a bad time!

But did Yuri address Sage's response in an appropriate manner? Certainly not! Rather than dismissing himself, he did the exact opposite! Instead, he simply invited himself, along with his company into Sage's home, an overinflated sense of purpose clear in his every action. Rude was not the description for Yuri's actions, and this infuriated Sage. She was undoubtedly justified in her attempt to slam the door in Yuri's face, but her attempted protest was immediately denied by the three soldiers who followed Yuri like obedient lap dogs, easily pushing the thin woman of the house back as if she were not even there.

Sage felt her heartbeat increase as an adrenaline spike temporarily clouded her thoughts, for which she then attempted to force herself back into a state of calm. Due to her natural complexion, Sage's face had a tendency to redden rather clearly when she felt embarrassed or angered, which often betrayed her when she tried to hide her emotions. Yuri was notorious for taking advantage of this inability for Sage to maintain her composure during conflict, and as a result, he could often manipulate and push her around without any protest. It was true that Sage had an extremely fiery temper and a lippy mouth on her, but her ability to debate when the situations called for eloquence was lacking at best. Sage often found herself berating her inability to articulate her own thoughts properly during altercations and periods of stress, _"I should have said THIS,"_ or _"I should have said THAT!"_ She could always articulate the proper words that would have been dictated by a situation in hindsight, but never on the fly. This very moment was no different- she was a tizzy of emotion, and it was her adrenaline's fault!

'_Get a grip and take charge of this situation, Sage!'_ she thought to herself. She was smarter than Yuri, she knew that much. She knew that she had to face her former boss like an adult, and had to remain firm on her convictions. Surely, he was there to try and convince her to return to the project. It was the only explanation! Where Yuri had failed on Project ARCHANGEL, Sage had succeeded. She had discovered so much in such a short span of time, and knew that Yuri was far too stubborn to see that the answers had been in front of them all the entire time. Sage knew that the virus worked due to its adherence to the 'soul' of an infected host, not just the physical body. They had been working on such a micro scale that it was no longer as simply as splitting molecules manipulating and atoms- they were now dealing with the very fabric of life... of what separated sentient life from mindless microbes, lie particles of the soul. Logical deduction had forced Sage to open her mind, and what she was seeing had begun terrifying her. Yuri could never have possibly understood such a concept, which was why he was doomed to fail on his own project, whereas Sage was able to succeed. Still, if this logical reason for Yuri's visit was accurate, why were the three soldiers accompanying Yuri? Something simply was not adding up. No bother,

"_Doctor Orlov- my daughter is asleep. It's late at night and I'm waiting for my husband to get home from work soon. Of course this is a bad time..."_ Sage was nearly biting her tongue to remain cordial rather than shifting into a blind rage, _"If you're trying to convince me to return to the project, you already know the answer. I am not interested, and that is final. I want to focus on being a mother and a wife... on raising my daughter with my husband. This is far more important to me than a countless hours of research and a paycheck."_

She was proud of herself... she articulated her words to get the exact message across that she had aimed for; no doubt, a major accomplishment for Sage.

Yuri shook his head slowly while he absently straightened his tie, which seemed to be the result of his OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), which he was notoriously well known for.

"_Forgive the intrusion, Sage. You know, you always were my brightest student, even prior to coming aboard the project. You surpassed your fellow subordinates in ways that you could not even begin to imagine. I'd just hate to see a brilliant, young visionary such as yourself simply let your mind go to waste and throw your future away so senselessly," _Yuri exclaimed while shaking his head, _"I just have a brief matter that we need to discuss, and then I can be on my way."_

Yuri always did have a way with words. No matter what the topic of discussion was, whether it be recapping the research from a previous week, or be it him directing an intern on how he preferred his coffee, his speech methodology was simply menacing- not so directly the result of his choice of words, but rather his mannerisms when he spoke. Still, the three soldiers remained behind Yuri in silent obedience; the female soldier's eyes were locked directly on Sage's face, temporarily diverting her attention while Yuri cleared his throat and led himself into Sage's dining room.

"_Without you, this project has ground to a stand-still. It pains me to be forced to let you go, especially after the recent news..."_ Yuri exclaimed while he reached his right hand up and removed his glasses, all while his left hand lifted his tie up, using his tie to clean his glasses, _"...Our opportunities have just expanded in the ways we needed them to. We can finally take this project to the next level. Certain parties aboard the Macross Galaxy Fleet have taken interest in this project, and have offered to assume funding. I do not mean a slight increase in our funding and research... I mean a virtually unlimited budget to take this project in the direction that is necessary to make it a resounding success. Is there ANY way I can convince you to return to the project, Sage? I'll be departing for the Galaxy Fleet tomorrow..." _clearly, the concept that Sage was a mother and a wife was a foreign concept to this man.


End file.
